Bend North made their Softball Little League World Series debut Monday, falling to the team from Puerto Rico, 4-2. But their run for a title continues in the double-elimination tournament. And maybe more important than trying to get the “W” is the camaraderie that is forming between the teams that are playing each other.
Puerto Rico, representing the Latin America Region, was playing its second game. Bend North had received a first game bye due to some luck-of-the-draw before the tournament.
Most of Monday’s game was close, highlighted by pitching and defense. Puerto Rico got on the board with a run in the top of the 3rd inning. Bend North, representing the Northwest Region, tied it up with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 4th.
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Puerto Rico came back with a big 5th inning, scoring three runs.
Bend North was able to get one more run across in the bottom of the 6th, but the Puerto Rico defense clamped down for the win.
Janelle Guiney had another strong performance on the mound for Bend North with nine strikeouts.
Her dad, coach Kevin Guiney, said there were was a little bit of nervous energy for his team to start, but that wore off quickly.
Bend North heads to the elimination side of the Orange Bracket, where every game is now a must-win. They will face the team from Milano, Italy, Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT. The winner moves on to another elimination game on Wednesday.
Guiney’s message to his team?
“Just continue to enjoy this experience,” he said. “It’s been phenomenal. After that game, the Puerto Rican coaches gave me a hug. It’s just phenomenal, the entire experience.”
Guiney said the Bend North is excited to play Milano because the players on both sides have already bonded.
“When we first landed in Raleigh at 6:30 in the morning, the Italy team came running up to us … ran up to us and we got a bunch of pictures with them,” Guiney said. “And then then we rode the bus with them from Raleigh to Greenville, which was like an hour and a half. And we get on the bus and these girls have a boombox and they’re singing all these Italian songs. And our girls, half asleep. Next thing I know, both teams are dancing. Girls from our team are requesting these songs or singing Taylor Swift songs together and just, I mean, pretty dang cool.”
Guiney said the girls have already exchanged numbers with each other. He also said the team from The Philippines brought in pizza.
Puerto Rico, now 2-0, heads to the first Orange Bracket semifinal on Thursday. If Bend North can fight their way through the elimination round, they may have a rematch later this week.
